Meng Xiumei, originally from Shihezi, resided in Ghulja City and was a preacher for the Church of Almighty God. In 2014, she was detained and spent a year and a half in pre-trial detention, before being sentenced to 14 years in prison.

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testifying party

Testimony 1: Human Rights Without Frontiers, a human rights NGO based in Belgium.

Testimony 2: Official court document, as used in court proceedings in the People's Republic of China.

Testimony 3: CAP Freedom of Conscience, a secular European NGO with United Nations Consultative Status, created in 1995 and dedicated to protecting the right of freedom of religion and belief. Testimony 1: father daughter brother sister son mother grandfather grandmother grandson granddaughter uncle aunt nephew niece brother-in-law sister-in-law father-in-law mother-in-law son-in-law daughter-in-law cousin friend colleague former student relative relation unclear from same town/region n/a husband wife the victim lawyer child friends, family, and students great-nephew great-niece former schoolmate cousin once removed friend of relative boyfriend girlfriend friend of friend aunt-in-law acquaintance judge cousin-in-law nephew-in-law niece-in-law uncle-in-law former neighbor stepbrother stepsister stepfather stepmother stepdaughter stepson neighbor of relative detained together former teacher relative of friend relative of teacher sibling grandchild cousin twice removed trial attendee ex-wife great-uncle great-aunt in-law grandmother-in-law grandfather-in-law great-grandmother great-grandfather half-brother half-sister ex-husband direct third-party
Testimony 2: father daughter brother sister son mother grandfather grandmother grandson granddaughter uncle aunt nephew niece brother-in-law sister-in-law father-in-law mother-in-law son-in-law daughter-in-law cousin friend colleague former student relative relation unclear from same town/region n/a husband wife the victim lawyer child friends, family, and students great-nephew great-niece former schoolmate cousin once removed friend of relative boyfriend girlfriend friend of friend aunt-in-law acquaintance judge cousin-in-law nephew-in-law niece-in-law uncle-in-law former neighbor stepbrother stepsister stepfather stepmother stepdaughter stepson neighbor of relative detained together former teacher relative of friend relative of teacher sibling grandchild cousin twice removed trial attendee ex-wife great-uncle great-aunt in-law grandmother-in-law grandfather-in-law great-grandmother great-grandfather half-brother half-sister ex-husband direct third-party
Testimony 3: father daughter brother sister son mother grandfather grandmother grandson granddaughter uncle aunt nephew niece brother-in-law sister-in-law father-in-law mother-in-law son-in-law daughter-in-law cousin friend colleague former student relative relation unclear from same town/region n/a husband wife the victim lawyer child friends, family, and students great-nephew great-niece former schoolmate cousin once removed friend of relative boyfriend girlfriend friend of friend aunt-in-law acquaintance judge cousin-in-law nephew-in-law niece-in-law uncle-in-law former neighbor stepbrother stepsister stepfather stepmother stepdaughter stepson neighbor of relative detained together former teacher relative of friend relative of teacher sibling grandchild cousin twice removed trial attendee ex-wife great-uncle great-aunt in-law grandmother-in-law grandfather-in-law great-grandmother great-grandfather half-brother half-sister ex-husband direct third-party
Testimony 4: add father daughter brother sister son mother grandfather grandmother grandson granddaughter uncle aunt nephew niece brother-in-law sister-in-law father-in-law mother-in-law son-in-law daughter-in-law cousin friend colleague former student relative relation unclear from same town/region n/a husband wife the victim lawyer child friends, family, and students great-nephew great-niece former schoolmate cousin once removed friend of relative boyfriend girlfriend friend of friend aunt-in-law acquaintance judge cousin-in-law nephew-in-law niece-in-law uncle-in-law former neighbor stepbrother stepsister stepfather stepmother stepdaughter stepson neighbor of relative detained together former teacher relative of friend relative of teacher sibling grandchild cousin twice removed trial attendee ex-wife great-uncle great-aunt in-law grandmother-in-law grandfather-in-law great-grandmother great-grandfather half-brother half-sister ex-husband add add direct third-party

Update 

Name:    Description:    unverified verified    1 2 3 4 5    Add

about the victim

Meng Xiumei was a leading preacher and member of the Church of Almighty God. She is married, and has a high-school education.

Residential address: Apt. 201, Entrance No. 1, Building No. 49, Junyue Longting Residential Area, Airport Road, Ghulja City (伊宁市飞机场路君悦龙庭小区49号楼1单元201室).

Registration and ID address: Apt. 1, Single-Story Building No. 128, No. 2 Company, Seed-Multiplication Farm, Shihezi Central Farm, Beiquan Municipality, Shihezi City (石河子市北泉镇石总场良种场二连128栋平方1号). Meng Xiumei. Leading preacher and member of the Church of Almighty God.

Likely address (estimated as place of arrest): Ghulja City, Ili.

Testimony 2: she is married and has a high-school education.

Residential address: Apt. 201, Entrance No. 1, Building No. 49, Junyue Longting Residential Area, Airport Road, Ghulja City (伊宁市飞机场路君悦龙庭小区49号楼1单元201室).

The victim joined the Church of Almighty God in or after 2005. She allegedly established a video group for the organisation at the end of 2013.

current location

Xinjiang Women's Prison. Xinjiang Women's Prison [in Urumqi, presumably].

chronology of detention(s)

In the afternoon of August 14-15, 2014, the Ghulja Public Security Bureau went to her home, verified her identity, conducted a search, and arrested her. At the time, she was at home with her mother and daughter. A number of possessions were confiscated: multiple religious books, discs, cash exceeding 16500RMB, three MP3 players, and a computer.

She was then held at the Ghulja City Detention Center, with her family not allowed to see her. The captain of the Ghulja Public Security Bureau's National Security Brigade went to Meng's home again on August 22-23, 2014, to present her family with a "detention warrant" [presumably: notice of detention, or 拘留通知书].

She was formally arrested on September 20, 2014. On December 3, 2015, she was sentenced to 14 years of prison and 5 years' deprivation of political rights. This decision was appealed, but upheld by the XUAR High Court in August 2016, with Meng transferred to the Xinjiang Women's Prison in December 2016. Reported date of the most recent arrest: August 15, 2014.

Testimony 3: In the afternoon of August 14, 2014, Ghulja PSB went to the victim's house, verified her identity, conducted a search, and arrested her. At the time, she was at home with her mother and daughter. A number of possessions were confiscated: multiple religious books, discs, cash exceeding 16,500 RMB, three MP5 [presumably MP3] players and a computer. (Police did not provide a reason for her detention at the time of the arrest.) The captain of the Ghulja PSB National Security Brigade went to the victim's home again on August 22-23, 2014 to present her family with a detention warrant.

Testimony 2: She was officially detained on August 15, 2014 and formally arrested on September 20, 2014.

Testimony 3: The victim was first held at the Yining Municipal Detention Center. Her family was not allowed to see her at this point.

Testimony 2: On December 3, 2015, she was sentenced to 14 years of imprisonment and 5 years of deprivation of political rights for "organizing and using a Xie Jiao to undermine the implementation of the laws". The charge resulted from her alleged involvement with the Church of Almighty God, including the establishment of a video group and participation in producing publicity videos.

Testimony 3: The victim's husband asked the attorney to appeal the December 2015 court decision. In August 2016, the XUAR High Court rejected the appeal and held up the original judgement. The victim was then transferred to the Uyghur Women's Prison in December 2016.

suspected and/or official reason(s) for detention

"Organizing and using heterodox groups to undermine law enforcement". The charge resulted from her alleged involvement with the Church of Almighty God (as early as 2005), including the establishment of a video group at the end of 2013, and participation in producing publicity videos. Belonging to the Church of Almighty God, which has been designated by the CCP as an "evil cult". As a result, charged with breaching Article 300 of the Chinese Criminal Code.

last reported status

In prison.

[There is a high likelihood of her being subjected to forced labor, as the Qixin Clothing LLC (启新服装有限责任公司) operates out of the Xinjiang Women's Prison.] Presumably serving a 14-year prison sentence.

how testifier(s) learned of victim's situation

The court verdict is an official document from the Xinjiang judicial system.

It is not stated how the two rights organizations obtained additional details about the case. Testimony 1+3: Not stated.

Testimony 2: This is an official court document from the Xinjiang judicial system.

additional information

--- Link to HRWF database entry (Testimony 1, link not functional): https://hrwf.eu/hrwf-prisoners-database-china/#hrwf-prisoners-database/china-database-original-upload-221019-sheet1-details/5db6bb1371096725bcdacc7e/

Alongside Meng, nine other members of the faith were given sentences ranging from 3 to 14 years in prison. The police also took 16500 RMB away from Meng's mother.

relatives

places of detention

Xinjiang Women's Prison Ghulja City Detention Center

supplementary materials

entry created on: 2020-02-21

entry last modified on: 2021-12-21

last update from testifier(s): 2018-05-01